Greece - A Castle, a Good Omen, and Olympia!
The Venetian Castle of Nafpaktos
On the road toward Olympia, for a strangely low price of 2 euros, we were free to wander the outdoor portions of a 15th century castle. Sadly not allowed on the battlements, but very cool, nonetheless.
Bananas good Bakery
As we drove, I stopped on the road to try and get a picture of a hovering hawk at the seaside. Not an amazing picture, by any means...
 |
| Hawk of Good Fortune |
However, while stopped we checked out this nondescript shop along the roadside.
 |
| Bakery of the Gods |
It looks like nothing on the outside, but has every kind of greek baked good that you can imagine. The prices were also really reasonable. I'm not sure who they were selling all of this to in the middle of nowhere, but what a lucky find.
Olympia!
We are staying at Hotel Pelops, a vintage hotel that feels like it is from the era of my grandmothers youth. Old, highly polished mahogany furniture with tiny wheels on the bottom, plates on the wall, ornate shelves with porcelain things on them, and a tray sitting out with mints.
There are also some things I would not expect to find at my grandmothers house. Chief among these would be 3 olympic torches from the 3 times the proprietor and his family have run in the olympic torch relay! You can see them proudly displayed in the dining area, above.
I hear a stirring in a room behind us and a groan. in a moment an old man with a mess of white hair and shaggy moustache to match greets us, "took a little siesta," he rumbles. "You are... Bradley Sa-Vatskie," he declares.
"Yes," Brad replies.
"One big bed or two little beds?" His voice feels so deep and raspy, I'm put in mind of the ultra bass singer from the Hades' Town musical.
"Two will be good."
"Room seven. First floor."
He hands Brad a shiny silver key straight from the era where locks were first invented. They have not discovered yet that turning a chunky piece of metal inside a keyhole is no level of security. Ignorance is bliss. Brad gives me a look that suggests he isn't leaving anything unattended in our room under any circumstances.
 |
| A Very Secure Key |
Even though the single vehicle accident death rate in Greece is the highest in the world, the crime rate is supposed to be quite low. We have been risking our lives by driving an Audi through the countryside, but our belongings ought to be quite safe.
 |
| Just pandering to the cat crowd |
The Next Day -- Olympia! Take Two
The archeological Museum
I tried to invest, but I got pretty sleepy.
The Ruins
This is that site of the original Olympic games. The original "olympics" was only one event -- a competitive sprint to honour Zeus, whose Temple is the focus of this place. The prize for first place (and only first) was an olive branch.
 |
| Ruins of the Temple of Zeus |
 |
| On your marks... |
I was inspired to run.
I felt like a kid running to support Terry Fox's marathon of hope. I felt like teenage self--the "fastest boy in the class." I felt like the kid who ran everywhere and never seemed to get tired.
I didn't know this was where I would be today. Honestly,|Brad planned the whole trip and I knew little about it. But, at this moment, it felt so right-- like recalling a song that your grandmother used to hum that you thought you had forgotten...
...the achievement of all my childhood dreams to be an olympian.
So strange. I'm not a child. It is just a field.
Stoupa
We are in the region of Kalamata, now. You might rightly guess that this is the historical region where olives were first cultivated in Greece. Gnarly and venerable olive trees are EVERYWHERE.
Stoupa, the small town that we are staying near, has the vibe of a beach town in the off season--which makes total sense, because it is. There are 2 or 3 restaurants open on the beach front. Everything else is boarded up.
 |
| Super cute tractor--missing a couple of teeth |
The beach is perhaps 800m of sand cut out in a natural crescent moon. After our visit to the ruins at Olympia, this morning, it is hard not to see it as an oval race track that has been consumed by the sea. A few low, jagged rocks shoot off into the bay, creating a natural breakwater.
As the sun sets behind a haze of cloud, I can still make out the faint shadow of the last tip of the Peloponnesus and the bump of an island before my view is lost staring through the Gulf of Kalamata, into the Ionian sea between Greece and Italy.
Comments